Grilling with wood, which delivers the most natural grilling flavor due to the nature and composition of the smoke produced during the burning process, has never been simple. Natural wood pieces that are sized in chunks meant for a backyard grill either burn too quickly (i.e., if they are dry enough to burn) or are difficult to light and do not emit enough heat for cooking (i.e., if they are too wet). Wood also tends to pop and spark when burning, which can be dangerous.
Traditionally, charcoal is used as a replacement for wood, but charcoal does not emit the true flavor of wood. To achieve a wood flavor, wood chips, such as apple, cherry, or hickory, may be added to the charcoal, depending on the specific wood flavor desired.
Charcoal is generally burned out wood and other elements that do not burn completely, resulting in large amounts of ash. Charcoal is dirty, difficult to light, bad for the environment, and lacks the true aroma of wood. Some charcoal or pellet products include binders, such as waxes or petroleum derivatives, to hold the products together during combustion. These binders produce excess smoke and/or odors that impart an unpleasant taste into the food and/or make the grilling experience less satisfying. Additionally, unlike traditional wood pieces that remain intact while burning, certain charcoal and pellet products fall apart after ignition. These products are difficult to manipulate to adjust or redistribute the heat of the fire.
Traditional cordwood fires include a stack of firewood ignited with newspaper and kindling wood piled between and underneath larger logs. Although fast burning, the quick ignition of the paper and kindling are typically sufficient to ignite the larger logs. Fire, by nature, climbs and develops by climbing, which is why traditional cordwood fires generally require a relatively large stack of wood to get the fire started. A problem with cordwood, however, is its tendency to spark, pop, and/or topple over during the burn process. Cordwood fires may also produce excess amounts of smoke, for example, due to the high moisture content found in wood, even kiln-dried wood. It is difficult to obtain a moisture content of less than 15% in even the driest of cordwood.
Manufactured logs that are packaged in bags with instructions to light the bag generally include either petroleum or biowax as the main ingredient, with wood material as a secondary ingredient. These manufactured logs tend to light quickly, without the use of starter material, such as kindling. While these logs generally produce a nice early flame, the logs tend to produce lackluster flames during the remainder of the burn, with some improvement as the logs split apart, allowing higher concentrations of wax materials to ignite. Due to the large amount of wax present in these logs, many of the logs have a long burn duration. The fire, however, does not compare to a traditional cordwood fire, particularly with respect to flame quality and aroma. For example, wax logs generally produce a thick, foul-smelling, black smoke, which may enter a dwelling, for example, during back drafts. Additionally, prior to burning, the wax logs emit unpleasant odors and generally require sealed bags to contain these odors. The logs also produce a sticky residue that lines chimneys and flues. Because of the unpleasant and potentially harmful fumes, wax logs are not recommended for cooking.
Needs exist, therefore, for improved wood products for grilling, heating, and building fires. In particular, needs exist for wood products that are easy to ignite, easy to manipulate while burning, produce a pleasant aroma, add natural flavors derived from the flame and smoke, and generate sufficient heat and flames, over an extended period of time.